How to Adjust Students in Yoga Poses - Hands On or Verbal Assistance?

Transcript

I'd like to take a moment just to talk about the difference between assisting and adjusting so as a teacher in a yoga class you are assisting your students into the poses with your words with your explanation which is a clear instruction of how to get into each pose the students will make any little self adjustment that they may need but as a teacher you are not adjusting your students and I know many teachers use this word I'm going to come around and adjust you but that's really kind of chiropractors do adjustments the teacher does assisting and in most cases and I would even say in all cases you with the confidence and the knowledge and the wisdom and the practice will be able to get your students into the proper pose simply with your words so if someone was in downward-facing dog you wouldn't want to go over to them and take their hands and move them back you as the teacher would simply say okay let's move our hands a little closer towards your feet or walk your hands a little bit further away from your feet that's how you could get you can use your body and your hands kind of like sign language talking to the student just say oh and you just want to move your hands back a little bit further or just you could even point to the floor just bring them up a little closer in seated twist pose when you're sitting and someone has their hand way far back and they're leaning back you're not going to pick up their hand and bring it back what you're going to do is say to them direct your voice to them or even gently walk over to them and just say with your words you want to bring your hand a little closer toward your tailbone and the back of your hip and you as the teacher could even use your body and your hand in a standing position while they're doing seated twist pose and just go like this just using your own hand you want to take your hand and bring it back here closer to your tailbone or your again a downward dog you want to say why don't you just move your hands a little closer toward your feet or further away all right so have the confidence be clear in your instruction and your speech you can absolutely get your students into the proper alignment with your clear instruction and by using your hands or your body as a little sample like the conductor of an orchestra okay so enjoy have fun I'm here for you if you've got any other questions or would like to further discuss namaste